Picker head



March 17, 1925. I '1,530,458

`w. L. BAKER PICKER HEAD Filed Aug. l2, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet `1 /74 e` el nvewtoz @noruego March 17, 1925. l W. L. BAKER .PICKER HEAD Filed Aug. 12, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet `v2 @XR/mwa Mmhn, 1925. r 1,530,453

W. L. BAKER- PICKER HEAD Filed Aug. 12, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 @Mom/Nwe March 17, 1925. Y

W. L. BAKER PICKER HEAD Filed Aug. 12, 1920 sheets-sheet 4 Patented Mar. 17, 1925! WILLIAM? L.. BAKER, on V oRLEANs, LOUISIANA;

PICKER Befit known that L W'IILLrAMS L.VBn1ER,a citizenk of the United States,y residing? at New "Orleans-z inthe parish vofi Orleans and Staterof'iLoufisiana, have" invent'e'd'certain new Yandvl useful Improvements in Picker Headsgaand Ir do4 declare .the Jfollowing. to be a full, clear, and exact descriptiono Athe' inventiom such. as Willi,'enable others skilled in the art to'wihicl'i itiappe'rta'ins'to4 make and 'use the same. I

My invention relates to improvementsji-n' machines for picking cotton! and" the' likeJ andlv moreparticularly to picker heads which are employed yat 1 the front endsl of" picking tubes leading'r to suitable" receivers and ada-ptedtobe' guided-by'hafnd over the cot ton or` likeA pla-nts;

Thepri-ncipal object-*ofthe inventionis tof provide an extremely' compact' picker head embodying-botha rotary picker and ai primel mover, su'ch as* afrotary steammotor orthe like, for driving said" picker.-

r Another object to equip the rotary 2" picker w'itl'r project-able and* retractable lingers and' to ymake novel provision for alteri'ia-tely projecting" and" retracting said fingers, whereby they are mad-e toy pick the cotton-@from the plants, carryitv into-a rei.I Cei-vingpassage inl the hea-d' and then" lrelease'- the cotton to be acted on by the suction' through this passage andthe hose-*or the Vlike with4 which it is connectedi rtstiljllt'urtherj object is to provide 'the head withl a pair of opposedi cheeksatthe)l sides of the receiving passage, to-V carry the `liuid pressure'V motor or prime mover by one of these cheeks and tol equip the other' cheek' Witlr meansforl projectingy and 11e-- 10 tracting the picking lingers. f

A still further object' is to provide a ho'll'ow rotary picker' and to mount theV car,- rier for thee-picking" fingers in said hollow picker to" economize in' space;

Yet another'object istofsofermxthe ro'- tary picker as* Vto `causeftlie V.same to;` coact with one side of the re'ceixjingvll passage in` feeding .the cotton into' such passage.'

iVith the foregoing in v'l'ew', the invention' claimed' and showniiny the.drawingsv Y Figures; l and; Zarge respectively a side "o resides inthe novel*combination'andxmmV struction of parts, herein described" and,

elevationandltop Aplairvievv oia picker lre'afd constructed 1in-f accordance Withiny -in- 55 vention.

Figli-1e 5 Iis -aside elevation' partly broke n away andfinf section. y

vllli'gllrfe` -is iai transverse section through the pickerv head'asi-ndieatedl bythe line @L61 of ligiure 5.1

Figure'- 7 is a side`l elevation Withparts removed, and?I vin.t section.

Figure. Sli-s a-view similar' to Fig.- l but sliewing a different positil'onlotfparltspy Figureif'Qis a plan view With parts 'in section 'onlii-neQL-Qfot Fig. 3.-

Figure 10 isa perspective view of the picker head? and't e' tube by means of which it is-connecteld'vs'fitli` a suction hose.

Figure-'l1 is a disassembled perspective vievv` ofv thepijckerlread; Y

`,liligu'ref12" is a perspective'Y View ofthe' picking fingers: and their carrier. n Athe drawings'-H Vdesignates the head as a* wl"role`,v said' z head having aneck N and-being" providedwithg a' receiving passage" P= leading. tl-irourg'h4 said' neck. The neckand head] are longitudinally divided into tWoI sections an having, cheeks C and" CQ, respectively, between which a pick-ingj rotor' E fis mounted. K

The two` seetionsS andS"" of ythe head' Hl may" be detachably' securedy together' inV any" preferred manner, as by screvfs 1, and' the' neck N Iof 'said head isz'further' secured togetherv by` being snug-ly received -in a couplii1g,' 2: splitC 1 at'.V one end' and" provided with a screWor the" like for contractingy said end arou'nd the'. neck: yAn ext'e'rnall; knnrledl ,tube`r 4'- receivedgin the other endof `the couplingi 2l, `which" end may. be` contracte'd".a'rennd 'saidtnbe by ascrev orv other preferredj'lnean's 51 TlifeV suction hose 6* is. connected in" any' preferred Imanner with'l the t'ubefV lfandjit isi intended'1 that the" operation slrjajll" hold this 'tub'efWitlT one hand Avl'iile' hodin'gla' liiandle t inithe other hand, saidliandle' rising" froi'nl the coupling 2' 'as LshoWI'ilfin"the elevationsand in' Fig; 10'.

The" cheekilis' provided' With a cylindricalv recess 7 -Which lris" preference provided with areinovablelnngs, An intake port 9 and an exhaust port 10 lead respectively to and from the recess 7, said exhaust port preferably discharging through the neck N while the port 9 leads from a fiuid pressure supply tube 11. I prefer that the tube 11 shall supply steam from any preferred source. The steam operates a rotor 12 which is eccentrically mounted in the recess 7 and the exhaust pressure. passes through the passage 10 into the tube 4, and since steam is used, such steam serves to moisten the cotton passing from the picker head, whereby it may be more expeditiously handled than when in the usual extremely dry state.

The rotor 12 could be of any suitable construction, but preferably is provided with a pair of opposed piston blades 13 which are forced into contact with the lining 8 by means of a coil spring or the like 14. Opposite sides of the blades 13 are provided with suitable spring-pressed packings 15 while the opposite sides of the rotor 12 are equipped with semi-circular packings 16. The packing 15-16 at one side of the rotor contacts with a part of the lining 8, while the other packing means similarlv contacts with the cover plate 17 which closes the recess 7 and is held in place by screws or the like 18. The rotor12 is provided with an axial shaft 19 which spans the space between the two cheeks C and C', said shaft being rotatably mounted in appropriate bearings 2O carried by said cheeks. When the rotor and shaft are removed, the bearing 20 of the cheek C may be removed into the recess 7. but the other bearing 2O is outwardly movable whenever necessary, being held in place in the cheek C, however, by suitable screw caps or the like 21. A. screw 22 is shown threaded in the free end of the shaft 32 and contacting with the bearing 2O of the cheek C to hold said shaft against endwise shifting in one direction, while the hub 12 on the rotor 12, abuts the other bearing 2O and thereby holds the shaft against movement in the opposite direction.

The picking fingers of the picking' rotor R are designated by the numerals 23, and these fingers are slidable through guide openings 2-1 which extend through the poripheral wall 25 of said rotor and through a. central circuinferential flange 26 with which said wall is provided. The opposite ends of the wall 25 are provided with widened rim portions 25a which are received in annular channels 25" formed in the inner sides of the cheeks C and C. This construction .insures against any foreign matter entering the hollow rotor R and thereby interfering with the working parts therein. The peripheral wall 25 of the rotor R is shown carried only by a diametrical bar 27 which in the present showing, iskeyed at 28 on the shaft 19, although it could otherwise be secured to said shaft. The bar 27 constitutes a runway for guiding a reciprocatory carrier 30 for the picking fingers 23, said carrier being by preference in the form of an open ring, said ring having notches 31 in one side slidably receiving the bar 27, while the opposite side of said ring is formed with preferably parallel thrust shoulders 32, between which a fixed eccentric 33 on the inner side of the cheek C operates. It thus follows that as the rotor R is driven by the iuid pressure motor, the carrier 30 is reciprocated along the bar 27 with the result that fingers 23 are alternately projected forwardly from the rotor for picking the cotton and then retracted for discharging said cotton into the passage P after first moving it into said passage.

It is obvious that the carrier 30 might be of other construction than that shown and that although an eccentric such as 33 is preferable, other suitable provision could be made for reciprocating said carrier in the required manner.

The head II, which may also be termed a frame, is provided with an abutment device which is disposed in front of the path of the picker pins 23 and in position to engage a cotton boll while the pins are removing cotton therefrom. In the embodiment illustrated, this abutment device is in the form of a finger or lug F formed as an integral part of the section S and extending longitudinally beyond the end of the passage P.

In operation, steam is supplied through the tube 11 to the rotary motor, with the result that the rotor 12 of this motor drives the shaft 19 and consequently the picking rotor R carried by said shaft. During rotation of this picking rotor, the eccentric 33 and the carrier 30 serve to alternately project and retract the picking fingers 23, causing them to first remove the cotton from the plants, then carry such cotton into the passage I), and finally release such cotton to permit the suction through the hose 6 and tube 4 to act thereon, carrying it to the picking machine in the usual manner. As steam is used as a motive power, the exhaust of said steam through the passage 10, dampens the cotton and thereby places it in condition to be operated on much more advantageously than when in an extremely dry state. It will be observed that due to the spaced relation of the rotor R with the side of the pas-- sage l) opposed tl'iercto, the peripheral wall 25 and. the flange2f of said rotor will coact with said side of the passage to compress thc cotton as it enters the head, this action in connection with that of the fingers 23, serving to effectively feed the cotton into the passage P.

The invention is comparatively simple and inexpensive, yet is highly efiicient and in every way desirable, particular attention be- ICO ingdirected tothe 'lactthat a common carrying 'head `provided 'both for a rotary' picker and fa prime mover which operates said picker, this construction L'being greatly advantageous over some-what 'similar 'arrangements in which a Vflexible or likeshaft has "been run from the frame of the picking machine to drive a rotary picker at the picker head.

A picker constructed as shown by the present application, has been used with great success, and details set forth are, therefore, by preference followed. Nevertheless, it is to be understood that within the scope of the invention as claimed, the device may be embodied in forms other than that shown.

I claim:

l. A picking device comprising a head having a receiving passage and opposed cheeks at the sides of said passage, one of said cheeks having a circular recess and intake and exhaust ports therefor, a rotary picker mounted between said cheeks, and a fluid driven rotor operatively mounted in said recess and connected to said picker for driving the same.

2. A picking devicecomprising a head having a. receiving passage and opposed cheeks at the sides of said passage, .one of said cheeks having a circular recess and intake and exhaust port-s therefor, axially aligned bearings carried by said cheeks, a fluid driven rotor mounted operatively in said recess, and having a short shaft spanning the spacebetween the two cheeks and received in said bearings, and a. rotary piel-:er mounted on said shaft between said cheeks.

3. il picking device comprising a head having a receiving passage and opposed cheeks at the sides of said passage, a hollow rotor mounted between said cheeks and having a projectable and retractable picking finger, a carrier for said finger within said rotor, said carrier having notches in one side and spaced shoulders on its other side, a bar extending diametricfally across said hollow rotor and received in said notches to slidably mount the carrier, an eccentric on one of said cheeks received between said spaced shoulders, and means' carried by the other cheek for rotating said rotor.

fl. A pic-king device comprising head having a receiving passage, a picking' rotor carried by said head at one side of said passage and mounted on an axis extending transversely of said passage, and means for rotating said picking rotor in a direction to move its periphery into the end of said passage.

A structure as specified in claim 8, said rotor having a continuous Peripheral flange and a picking finger extending slidably therethrough, and means for projecting and retract-ing Said finger as said rotor rotates.

V6'. A picker corrrp-'risin-g a head having a receiving spassage and-'opposed 'cheeks at fthe sides lof said passage, the 'inner sides 'of said cheeks ibei-ng substantially -pa-rallel and having'opposed circular 4rchannels, 'a5 rotary pri'k'er mouz-ited' between said cheeks and having laterally extending rim portions -r'eceived in said channels, and means for rotating said picker.

7. A picker comprising ahead having a rearwardly extending nec-k, said head and neck beingr longitudinally divided intoptwo sections, each of which is provided with an upstanding cheek, a rotary picker mounted between said cheeks', and a handle carrying coupling into which the neck of said head extends, said coup-ling being adapted for operatively connecting said head with a suction tube.

8. In a picker head, the combination with a frame provided with a suction tube connection,l of a rotary cylinder mountedl in said frame, said cylinder having a peripheral flange, picker pins passing through the wall of the cylinder and through said peripheral flange, and means for causing said picker pins to be projected and withdrawn during the rotation of the cylinder.

9. In a picker head, the combination with a frame provided with a suction tube connection, of a rotary cylinder mounted in said frame, said cylinder having a peripheral flange, a reciprocatory member within said cylinder, and Vpicker pins secured to diametrically opposite parts'of said member and projecting therefrom, respectively, in opposite directions, said picker pins passing freely through the wall of the cylinder and said peripheral flange.

10. Inapicker head, the combination with a frame provided with a suction tube connection, of a rotary cylinder in said frame, said kcylinder having a peripheral flange, means whereby said cylinder may be rotated, a reciprocatory carrier mounted in said cylinder, picker pins secured to said carrier and projecting respectively in opposite directions through the wall of the cylinder and through said peripheral flange, and means for causing said carrier to reciprocate when the cylinder is rotated. f

ll. In a picker head, the combination with a frame providedwith a suction tube connection, of a rotary structure comprising in a single piece, a rotary cylinder having a peripheral flange, a hub and spokes connecting said hub with the wall of the cylinder, a reciprocatory carrier within said cylinder and guided by said spokes, picker pins secured to said carrier and passing freelyv through the wall of the cylinder and through said peripheral flange, a driving shaft secured to the hub of the cylinder, and means for causing the carrier to reciprocate when the cylinder is rotated.

Yl2, In a picker head, the combination with cylinder and through the peripheral flange a :frame having a chamber open at both ends, thereof, and means for causing said pins to and a suction tube connection eommuncatbe projected and Withdrawn When the cyhn- 10 ing with one end of said chamber, of a roder is rotated. tary Cylinder mounted in the frame, under In testimony whereof I have hereunto set said chamber and having a peripheral flange, my hand. picker pins passing through the Wall of the WILLIAM L. BAKER. 

